Does Bears Offense Have All the Answers?

From the look of things, the Bears offense has more work to do in this draft before getting all problem areas covered.

For an offense so short on talent and mistake-prone last season, the Bears look remarkably well settled heading into the draft.

They can always get better. They have to get better.

The wide receiver situation has been addressed with DJ Moore's addition to a group already including Chase Claypool, Darnell Mooney and Velus Jones Jr.

The addition of Robert Tonyan gave them a second tight end option, which they lacked last season.

D'Onta Foreman at running back steps in after David Montgomery left, and a possible third back arrived in Travis Homer.

The goal was getting Justin Fields weapons and they did during free agency.

The greatest remaining offensive questions start on their offensive line. And just because they're settled at other offensive positions doesn't mean they have finished adding offensive help.

Here are the biggest questions facing the Bears offense heading into Thursday's draft.

1. Can They Afford Not to Take a First-Round Tackle?

It's already assumed a tackle is going to be introduced Thursday or Friday as a Bears pick somewhere at either No. 9, No. 52, No. 61 or No. 64. The real question is how can they even afford not to do it?

This goes to the root of the draft's talent depth. By the time they get to No. 52, it's possible the step drop has occurred between the top-level blockers and the next group. So if they address position first, like edge rusher or three technique defensive tackle, the tradeoff could be missing out on a higher level of athleticism or all-around skill and experience when the take a tackle.

Unless they plan to make Larry Borom a full-time tackle starter, use Alex Leatherwood at tackle or switch Teven Jenkins back to tackle after his success at right guard, the Bears must have a tackle in the first three rounds because otherwise who can they count on at the position if they don't turn to either Peter Skoronski, Paris Johnson Jr., Broderick Jones or Darnell Wright in Round 1?

2. How Convinced Are They Cody Whitehair Can Be a Center Again?

It's been since mid-2020 season since Whitehair lined up as their center. Sam Mustipher did it after that and Whitehair became a guard. He did it well enough after an initial adjustment to shotgun snaps, and made the Pro Bowl as an alternate. But in the NFL, 2020 was a long, long time ago. If he can't do it and if they have lost confidence in Lucas Patrick after an injury-plagued season, isn't it mandatory to choose a potential starting center somewhere in the first four rounds?

3. Is There a Back Who Can Do It All?

David Montgomery not only ate up carries, he performed all possible duties presented to a back. They look to have two ball carriers now and a third back who can catch passes in Travis Homer, but it appears they have a real need for an all-around back capable of running the stretch play but also running pass patterns and catching passes or picking up a blitzing linebacker to protect Fields. An all-purpose skill set was Montgomery's greatest, and so far Foreman and Khalil Herbert say they can be that type of player but neither has been. But each has only 23 career receptions. Together they have fewer receptions than Homer, who has averaged only 142 offensive plays a year in his first four seasons. For this reason, a back sometime on Day 2 wouldn't be a shock for the Bears, although it seems more likely for Rounds 4 or 5 than for the second day.

4. Does Fields Really Have Sufficient Wideout Numbers?

They saw what happened when Mooney went out for the year after Week 11 last season. No one in the wide receiver group caught more than 21 passes on the year. Sure, Moore and Claypool give them more receivers with experience producing higher catch numbers, but wouldn't one more talented pass catcher solve any possible problem with depth. Over the last two years, wide receivers in the NFL missed the most games due to injuries of any position. The Bears last year had among the fewest injuries in the league according to Mangameslost.com. Are they going to get away so fortunate this year and if receivers are players most prone to injuries, wouldn't getting one in the draft be important?

5. Can They Get by Without a Pure Blocking Tight End?

Unless coaches think Chase Allen is prepared to move into a blocking tight end role from off the practice squad, a third tight end as a goal-line or short-yardage blocker or as a safety valve receiver is something the Bears lack. With team using 13 personnel (one wideout, three tight ends) in offensive packages more often, the third tight end who can block is more or less essential. 

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